Todd O. Pierce

Changes Coming Soon...

2009-10-21T13:25:00.000-07:00

In the next couple of weeks I will be creating a separate web site with information on making a living as a writer. This blog will then shift to becoming a showcase for my own writings on metaphysical subjects and excerpts from my books. I decided that this would consolidate a lot of writing I've been placing in various locations across the net. For those following the current material in this blog, the only change will be a different web address. It will however, contain bonus pages with an article archive writers can turn to for reference. Thanks to everyone who have been following and I look forward to sharing these changes with you.

Reaching Your Audience In 3 Easy Steps

2009-10-09T11:18:00.000-07:00

How can you reach and transform your audience with your writing? Are you writing as an amateur, or as a professional? Learn three simple steps that will improve your writing and help you to move your audience.

Amateur writers write for the sake of writing. While this may provide them personal pleasure, it takes more than that to make a living as a writer.

So what is key to great writing, and how can it change your presentations? You should have one main goal in mind with everything you write: to transform your audience. Great writers strive to help their audience see things from a different perspective, to act differently, and change the way they interact with the world.

Anyone can make complete sentences, but if you want to actually have impact through your writing, you must learn to write for transformation. That's the difference between being merely informative and being compelling and persuasive. The three basic steps to transformational writing are: 1) write for a specific audience, 2) use the right venue, and 3) choose and execute the right type of transformation.

1. Specific Audience

If you want to reach your audience, you must understand them, get out of your own perspective, and write to their perspective. One of the first things I do with every piece I write is identify my target audience, things such as age, gender, race/ethnicity, location, income level, purchasing habits, hobbies, talents, interests, etc.

When I know who I'm talking to, I'm prepared to custom tailor the message to resonate with them specifically. For example, words such as revolutionary, cutting-edge, fresh, or in vogue will more likely resonate with an 18-25 age group, whereas a 60-70 age group will probably have negative reactions to them, who prefer things that are proven, safe, and sensible.

2. The Right Venue

By venue I mean the medium used to convey your message, including such things as magazines, newspapers, journals, books, radio and TV ads, blogs, websites, etc. The venue you choose is, in large part, determined by your audience.

For example, if I'm writing a lengthy article on monetary policy intended for scholars and economists, the best venue is probably a scholarly journal. Few people can stand to read long blocks of meaningful text on a computer screen, I probably won't have enough space to make my case in most magazines, etc. On the other hand, if my content is concise, simple, and intended for a broad audience, perhaps a newspaper article makes sense.

All of us are exposed to written communications that we skim or ignore, yet if that same message is presented in a venue more palatable to us, we're much more likely to spend time reading it. Writing for transformation requires utilizing the best venue for our subject matter and audience.

3. The Right Transformation

The three types of transformations are: know, feel, and do. A know transformation seeks to give the readers new information, or old information arranged in a different way, to help them learn and know things they didn't know before in such a way that it changes their life and perspective.

A feel transformation obviously seeks to evoke strong emotion in the audience, while a do is designed to get an audience to take very specific, immediate, and tangible action.

Amateurs look at this list and try to do all three; professionals focus on one and nail it, because doing so affects the others. How do you want people's lives to change because they read your message? What do you want to see occur in them? Do you primarily want them to know, feel, or do something? Pick one. Yes, just one, and execute it well, and the others will take care of themselves.

If you want your message to actually have impact, you must learn to write for transformation. Know who you're writing to, use the right venue to reach them, and choose the right transformation and execute it well. After all, transformational writing is the only writing worth reading.

Twitter to add money making features - Enterprise Applications - ComputerworldUK

2009-09-10T08:52:00.000-07:00

Twitter to add money making features - Enterprise Applications - ComputerworldUK

How to Generate High Quantities of Content for Your Blog

2009-09-09T13:28:00.001-07:00

How to Generate High Quantities of Content for Your Blog

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Why Should You Be Writing For The Internet?

2009-09-05T21:33:00.000-07:00

By: Deanna Mascle

I have been writing professionally for more than two decades. I have worked as a professional writer and editor for newspapers, books and magazines for local, regional, and international audiences. My primary financial support has always been either professional writing (or editing) or the teaching of writing. In fact, my initial foray into writing for the Internet was not intended to be a profitable venture but rather a way to express myself when I made the transition to teaching writing full-time. I knew that after decades of writing daily that I would need that outlet. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that my hobby could actually earn more than my professional ventures? That is why I encourage my students and my writer friends to explore Internet writing for fun and profit. There are three good reasons for writers to spend at least a sizable chunk of their writing time writing for the Internet.

First, and foremost, if you are a writer then you need an audience. If you are reading this article then you know there is a huge audience accessing their reading material via the Internet. Unlike the reading audience of traditional printed materials, the Internet-reading audience is growing exponentially. More and more people are forgoing traditional newspapers, magazines, and books to subscribe to ezines, web pages, blogs, and RSS feeds. If you can find your audience on the Internet, then that is a very good reason to write for the web.

Another good reason for writers to transition to the web is that is where the money is today. While money can be made through the traditional avenues of publishing books, selling articles, or working as a writer for hire it is getting more and more difficult for established, proven writers to make a living and extremely difficult for newcomers to break in at a livable wage. However writers can start up their own business fast and cheap or work for hire to learn the ropes and build up their nest egg. Trying to do either of those things in the traditional publishing world will not find success.

Finally, or third, there is a niche for everyone on the Internet. Most traditional publishing methods are limited to a specific region due to the cost of printing and distribution. However neither is a consideration on the Internet, so writers can reach audiences around the globe. This means that what may seem a rather small niche (of say people who collect dachsund sweaters) may well find their audience is hundreds, thousands, or even millions. That means there is a need for articles and publications for these folks. As an avid dachsund sweater collector yourself you are an ideal writer for any publications currently serving this niche and if there aren't any then you have a wide-open field to start your own.

These three simple reasons should be enough for any writer to consider writing for the web. The Internet is a great place to break in and get started as a professional writer and the Internet is an even better place for the established pro to profit.

Article source: Why Should You Be Writing For The Internet?

About: Deanna Mascle shares more writing advice with her blog and newsletter Word Craft Online at http://WordCraftOnline.com

Why Print on Demand is the Future of Publishing

2009-09-04T20:43:00.000-07:00

Why Print on Demand is the Future of Publishing

Home Business Idea: Personal Memoir Consultant

2009-09-03T21:58:00.000-07:00

We all have a unique life story that could be made into a memoir. Writing a personal account of one's life gives future generations the opportunity to get to know the author and what they learned. It provides a tangible record after death which keeps memories alive for surviving loved ones. The process of writing a memoir can be deeply therapeutic as it helps one to reflect on the meaning of life's journey.

Most people never complete a memoir because they lack the skill, time and patience necessary for such a project. This is where the memoir consultant can provide assistance. Helping people transform their memories into a book is both a lucrative business and a fulfilling career.

Landing a job ghostwriting a celebrity memoir would be difficult without the right connections. But what is often overlooked is the huge and untapped market of ordinary people who would like to see their story in print. There are people willing to pay for assistance in this sometimes intimidating task.

This is actually how I got my first paying job as a writer. Just by chance, a family friend asked for some advice on getting a book published. He knew I worked at a typesetting/printing company and that I had an interest in publishing. This was 1988, when desktop publishing was still in its infancy.

The friend had obtained a very rough draft of a memoir of a man who died before completing it. The widow had asked about the possibility of getting the unfinished work published. After reading the diary-like draft, I gave some advice on what needed to be done. An offer was then made for me to turn the little stack of papers into a finished product. The contract made me responsible for every step of the process - from writing to selling the printed copies.

That was my entry into the world of publishing. The advance money provided was enough to buy my first real computer, along with professional desktop publishing software. It took some work, but through trial and error the book was completed and I am still selling copies of it today under my own imprint.

This is a relatively easy business for anyone with adequate writing skills. There are little to no start-up costs. And given the fact that virtually everyone is a potential client, it shouldn't be hard to land your first job. I did it without even trying!

Marketing this service through the internet can easily be done by starting a blog on memoir writing. The readers would all be potential clients. Google Adwords provides an easy way to drive traffic to a website advertising your services. There are also plenty of potential clients in your own town or even in your circle of acquaintances.

A second source of income could be earned by teaching classes, either on the internet or in person, on hot to write a memoir. There would be no need to hard-sell your services, simply advertise the class as being taught by you, a professional memoir consultant or ghostwriter. Not only will it give you credibility as an expert in the field, it will also provide a steady stream of leads as many of your students will find they need assistance in completing their memoir.

The appearance of POD publishing is a great development for memoir writers. As few as one copy can be printed, eliminating the need for a large investment. Since POD wasn't available when I took my first job, I had to deal with a local printer and low press run. Offset printing might be cost effective if the client already has some renown beyond family and friends. Examples might include, local political leaders, ministers, experts in a narrow field - basically anyone whose fame is limited to a particular locale, industry or group.

The business could specialize in only certain services. One option could be to market it solely as a ghostwriting service. Those who have graphic design skills might make additional money by offering full layout and cover design. Finding the right printing company and negotiating the best price makes one a broker who could charge a fee from the client and also get a commission from the printer. Anyone with marketing and sales skills can assume the role of publisher and earn a percentage of the profits.

Not only will this business earn a lot of money with little investment, it's also fulfilling to help someone through the process. For the fiction writer it offers a chance to improve skills and get ideas for character development. Talented writers will enjoy the challenge of creating a unique and fascinating story out of the lives of ordinary people. Helping someone give life to a lasting document of their journey is a rewarding experience and a great way to make money as a writer.

The Single Most Important Factor in Making Money as a Writer

2009-09-02T19:58:00.001-07:00

There are a number of elements which determine whether your writing is going to sell on a continuous basis. Obviously you aren't going to sell much without basic writing skills. There's nothing worse than picking up a small local newspaper filled with typos, grammatical errors, and a structure that leaves the one guessing what the article is trying to say. It may be permissible in a personal blog, but unless you are writing poetry or an experimental piece, a higher standard is expected.

Being relevant to the market audience is another must. The information or story should hold some value to the reader. And having a writing style which communicates that message in an entertaining way will increase its popularity and bring readers back.

But even the best writing portfolio will not make any money sitting unread in a computer file. This is why marketing is essential for success. If you are lucky enough to have a publisher with a big marketing budget it will be less of a priority. But even in the world of traditional publishing houses, the writer is usually expected to contribute in some way to promotion.

Self-publishers and online writers will have to take a much more proactive and hands-on involvement in marketing if they expect to make any money at all. Fortunately, the internet offers the opportunity to reach the entire world with little or even no investment.

But even if all the above is achieved, there is one other element which no writer can survive without: Passion. There has to be a passion for writing to be successful in this business. Making money in this industry is tough. A freelance writer isn't going to get very far if that is their only motivation.

Long hours and low earnings can make flipping burgers seem like a lucrative alternative. The constant rejections and lonely hours spent working at home will make those who just want a get rich quick opportunity wish they hadn't quit their corporate job.

Passion will provide the motivation to get through the inevitable periods of self-doubt, writer's block, and lack of income. A strong enough desire to live the life of a successful writer, no matter what, will compensate for weaknesses in other area. It will give the aspiring writer the perseveranceneeded to overcome any obstacles.

To earn a full-time income, a love of writing must be at the top of priorities. Rather than looking at it as just another business opportunity, hobby, or dream, writing must be integrated into every aspect of life. Look at the entire universe through the lens of a writer. Every feeling, person, and thing, no matter how mundane, should be perceived as something that could be described in the written word. The writer's hat is never removed, even while sleeping.

A rewarding career as a full-time requires the boundless enthusiasm of passion. Anyone who has this can succeed.

Writing Learn to Write Articles That Maintain the Readers Interest - Amazines.com Article Search Engine

2009-09-02T01:47:00.001-07:00

Writing Learn to Write Articles That Maintain the Readers Interest - Amazines.com Article Search Engine

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So You Want to Make a Living as a Writer?

2009-09-01T02:07:00.000-07:00

For those of us who are not celebrities, or salaried writers in corporate media, earning a living from our own writing can seem like an impossible dream. Like other creative fields, the competition is extremely tough and only a tiny percentage will ever earn enough to live off their craft. The stereotype of the starving artist sacrificing everything for their art, only to die in poverty, is a romantic notion that has become embedded into our collective consciousness. So much so that some of the most talented beginners will sabotage their own possibility for success because of the mistaken belief that good art can never be profitable.

There is nothing wrong with writing simply for the love of the craft. Many teachers, lawyers, and waiters are content to have a stable income from their jobs while working on their novels, poetry, and essays on the weekends. But there are others of us who become depressed at the very thought of spending eight hours a day slaving for something that isn't our passion. The demands of a job cause us to lose our focus and soon we find there is not enough time or energy left to pursue our creative endeavors. Eventually our project gets stored in a file and forgotten. Years may pass before it is even looked at again.

Our society also tends to view the salaried job as as a label which defines our identity. Humans have a need to place everyone in categories and occupation plays a huge role in portraying who we are. We ourselves may know we are writers, but unfortunately many people won't until it becomes our main source of income. Family and friends may not understand your need to spend so much time writing when it isn't your job. They may even view it as selfish and try to make you feel guilty for not spending that time with them. Potential publishers may assume you won't have the time to produce an adequate amount of work due to your day job and pass you over. For some, the lack of respect, combined with the inevitable rejection slips and stress of everyday life becomes so demoralizing it causes them to give up on their dream.

Some writers are perfectly happy working on their short stories or memoirs without any need for compensation or recognition beyond a small circle of readers. They often produce great material that deserves a wider audience unless by luck it falls into the the right hands. The writer who wants to make a paying career in this field does not have the option of passively waiting for the possibility that one day he too will be discovered and given a huge advance check with a spot on the bestseller list. It would be easier to just play the lottery because the odds are about the same.

If your goal is to make a living at the writing game you will have to be proactive and willing to make it happen, not just hope that it will. Like all creative fields, the most talented writers aren't necessarily those who make the most money. The top earners are the ones who understand how the market works and use that knowledge to their benefit. These days it is important to realize that the traditional publishing industry is extremely difficult to break into, but it is also on the decline. The opportunities for new writers are in the new forms of media that are developing. You must keep up with the constant changes because what works one day might not the next. Any motivated person with adequate writing skills, a few good ideas, a little creativity, some self-discipline, perseverance, and the willingness to learn how to capitalize on the emerging opportunities in this rapidly changing field is capable of making money. It may not be the easiest career path, but if writing is your passion then you will find it is the most rewarding.

My latest novel

2009-08-19T11:33:00.000-07:00

The first draft of my new novel, Trepanation, is nearing completion. The story of a young couple being manipulated by a strange cult after they move into their new home, is partially inspired by Rosemary's Baby. The estimated publishing date is difficult to predict as it depends on how motivated I am in the next couple of weeks. Thanks for the support and feedback everyone has given.

'Psychic' Teen Describes Auras - ABC News

2009-08-18T09:46:00.001-07:00

'Psychic' Teen Describes Auras - ABC News

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Finding Happiness

2009-06-04T21:21:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading this great blog which got me thinking about the subject of happiness. It seems like so many people I know are struggling to "become" happy. I've noticed in myself and others there always seems to be some future event that will make us happy - a better job, money, a new boyfriend/girlfriend, living in another city, breast implants, a new car - the list goes on and on.

The state of happiness seems to be dependent on these events, not just happening, but happening in exactly the way we have it set in our minds. The lack of achieving these things is blamed for our unhappiness and the inevitable impediments to achieving our desires causes anxiety and depression which drain us of the very energy and enthusiasm we need to achieve these goals. Eventually the state of unhappiness turns into an excuse for self-destructive behavior as we find that being depressed about not having the life we want is much easier than actually taking the steps necessary to achieve it.

Even if by some chance one does achieve what they believe will make them happy, the joy often wears off very quickly and the person will simply think of something else that they don't have, but must get in order to find happiness. This seems to be the state of many, maybe most people today. We live in a society where cynicism is chic. If you are a happy person you sometimes even run the risk of being looked upon as fake, shallow, or even deceitful. It's difficult for many to believe that a person can actually be happy unless they are in a constant state of getting and achieving goals that are nearly impossible.

We all have had days when we wake up in a bad mood and everything seems to go wrong the whole day. Other days when we are feeling good our days seem to go smoothly with pleasant surprises. There are many psychological and spiritual principles which point to the same basic theme - a positive attitude results in good things happening to us. A negative attitude will result in negative things happening to us. There are several different explanations as to why this is true, but whatever the reason, I am convinced that this is true.

It's difficult to tell someone in deep distress about this principle. Sometimes our anger or depression have engulfed us to such an extent that "snapping out of it" isn't an option. Changing one's attitude is a constant process of evolving, not an instant fix to our perceived problems. When results aren't instantaneous, many will tell themselves that all this talk about positive thinking is nothing but mumbo jumbo or new age b.s. This is an instant gratification society and we all want our happiness to come like a bolt of lightning. A person will come in and sweep us off our feet, our winning lottery ticket will change our lives, a new hairstyle and wardrobe will make us the envy of others. When such goals seem totally out-of-reach one might turn to alcohol, drugs, food, or any other number of methods to feel better. But these solutions are like treating a tumor with a band-aid.

The unhappiness comes back and will keep coming back until we discover that happiness isn't something we achieve, it's a feeling which comes from within. It isn't dependent on something external. Instead it is something we learn to feel. Lasting happiness doesn't come from doing what we perceive others expect of us, nor does it come from impressing others. It comes from changing your attitude about what makes you happy. One has to learn to be happy right now, no matter what your life situation is. Most of the time the situations, or lack thereof, which we believe are preventing us from feeling happy are not nearly as important as we think they are. We've simply convinced ourselves that our problems control how we feel.

The irony is that if we didn't spend so much of our time focusing on how miserable and unhappy we were, that energy and time would be directed towards the things we believe we want in life and most likely we could achieve them. At the very least we would get much farther in getting what we want while happy than we would spending our time wallowing in unhappiness.

I'm not saying that this is always easy. It is a process one has to work on constantly. And many of us have varying levels of chemical issues which create even more of a challenge. But it has been proven that having a negative attitude actually inhibits the happy chemicals, while having a positive attitude promotes a healthy brain chemistry.

It may be difficult to start changing the way one thinks, but the more is worked on the easier it gets. Sometimes one has to pretend to be happy, even if they aren't feeling it. It might even feel like brainwashing, but if inundating oneself with "happiness" propaganda is what it takes then just do it. Life is far better when you're happy than when you're not. And contrary to common belief, being happy is not going to turn you into a lazy person who is content with just sitting on the couch all day basking in their state of bliss. A happy person is one who is motivated and has the energy to live life to its fullest potential while creating an enjoyable environment for all those around them.

My New Phone

2009-06-04T08:02:00.000-07:00

I've never been the type of person who has to be the first one to get the latest gadget. It seems to me that when things first come out they are over-priced and still have problems which need to be worked out. I was one of the last ones in my group of friends to get a cell phone. I can still remember the days when people used to swear they'd never get one - that they were a waste of money, a deterrent to good communication and a sign of the end of civilized society. Well, few of those people have lived up to that vow. It's practically become a necessity now if you want to be a fully functioning member of society.

So, after a series of phones over the years, each one a slight upgrade from the last, I decided to splurge and get one of Google's G1 phones. Remembering my frustration in learning how to use my first cell phone, I kept it in the box for about two weeks before finally retiring my old Motorola and cranking up this intimidating piece of technological sorcery.

Since I'm a Mac fanatic, I had originally wanted an iPhone, but my cell service had a deal on the G1 that I couldn't pass up. It was Macintosh which first got me to view the computer as something more than a futuristic mental torture device. The intuitive ease of use with an Apple made work feel fun instead of boring.

So my fear was that the G1 was going to be an instrument designed by some left brained techno genius who assumes the rest of the world also thinks in computer coding language all day long. To my surprise, the phone turned out to be amazingly easy to learn. There was no 10,000 page manual with mind-numbing tutorials. Just a simple little booklet pointing out all the fun features that can be used.

Now with an instrument I can fit in my pocket I am able to make phone calls, send messages and IM, surf the internet, watch YouTube, download and play music, access maps to just about everywhere, check my email, tell time, scan bar codes to compare prices, shoot videos, do photography, record audio, get up to the minute news updates, check the temperature and weather, check the lunar calendar and much more. There's a list of available apps that I couldn't even find time to go through and most all of them are free. Hell, I'm starting to wonder if it can floss my teeth and cook me dinner too.

Today as I was exploring this phone I began to wonder what my fear and loathing about cell phones and technology in general was all about. I don't see people communicating less because of new technology, I see them communicating more. Information is accessible to anyone with an internet connection. What was so good about the days when we were kept in the dark and ignorant? Those were the days when only the largest of corporations could afford to send their messages to the masses. Now anyone who can type or talk can do it. Sure, much of what is being put out onto the internet may be considered junk by most. But who is qualified to judge that? Would we rather go back to a handful of wealthy media outlets deciding what is true or qualifies as good enough to have a voice? There may seem to be an overwhelming amount of information coming at us, but the human species is resilient and strong. We're becoming more educated and we will adapt to change.

Change is frightening, but it is also exciting. Without change we will stagnate or go backward. It's understandable that many people long for a simpler time when one didn't have to deal with all this confusing technology. But do we really want to go back to those days or are we just idealizing them? Does anyone really want to go back to living in a world where diseases, bigotry, stifling social customs, child sweat shops, and dictatorships were the norm? Certainly technology has its own dangers. I wouldn't want to live in the world portrayed in The Matrix either. But there have always been naysayers with every development. When the printing press first came out there were people who really believed it would be the downfall of civilization. That seems ridiculous to us now, but I have a feeling that one day they are going to look back at us and think how silly we are spending so much time and energy trying to avoid progress. One can complain till their last breath about the evils of all this technology, but it's not going to stop it. All that will be accomplished is the one doing the complaining is going to be left behind and find themselves in an ever-shrinking world.

A few years ago I never would have dreamt I'd be writing these words. Some days I even wished I were Amish. A horse carriage and a hammer I could understand, but the intricacies of trouble shooting computers seemed an impossible task. I grew up watching the original Star Trek and thinking how cool it would be to have one of those flip-top communicators. But my feeling was that it would be several hundred years before we saw such things in common use. Well, that time is here now. These new innovations are neither good or bad in themselves. They are simply tools which can be used for any purpose we choose. Instead of fearing them, why not take advantage of them and build a better world? We needn't feel at the mercy of these wonders. Instead, we need to take control and use them accomplish whatever it is we desire. My life has only gotten better by all this and far from being frightening, it seems to become easier each year to learn all these new innovations. I'd be interested in hearing other thoughts on this subject so please feel free to comment.

Videos from Reality Jam

2009-05-25T20:08:00.000-07:00

I just found that if you upload your original videos to Reality Jam the end provides a link back to the site. Quite a good thing to know. Now I'm going to have to start embedding more originals around the net. Anyway, just had to put this post up here so I can hopefully get that cat meowing video onto the archives. It drives me crazy every time I log into this! haha

New Reality Jam Commercial

2009-05-25T20:06:00.000-07:00

Find more videos like this on Reality Jam

Jammer

2009-05-22T15:04:00.000-07:00

Lately I have been neglecting this blog because of the time needed on my other site, realityjam.com. Once the momentum picks up there I will be back to regular posting here. The most recent addition to the Reality Jam brand is called Jammer. It is a virtual Law of Attraction machine in which the user writes out their desires and broadcasts them into the universe. Of course, it can also be used as anything one wants - to give shoutouts, make comments about the site, "tweet", or anything else one can think of. I created this tool because I felt that Reality Jammers need something they can quickly use to jot down their thoughts or confessions when they don't have time to write a blog or forum comment. Another feature of Jammer is that one can Jam anonymously. This gives an opportunity to express things one might not otherwise want known. It is also available to those who aren't members of the site, so I'm hoping that once they become addicted to jamming they will consider becoming a full member of Reality Jam.

New Membership Drive

2009-05-16T01:27:00.001-07:00

Okay, folks, it's time to get serious about getting new members to join www.realityjam.com. Let's show them what a great resource this site is. And let's get them to get their friends and friends of friends to join and create profiles. Tell everyone you know about Reality Jam and keep bugging them till they create a profile and start posting. Now is the time. Let's make this site HUGE!

35,000 year old nude sculpture found in Germany

2009-05-13T13:02:00.000-07:00

If human culture seems obsessed with sex lately, it's nothing new. Archaeologists have discovered the oldest known artistic representation of a woman - a carved ivory statue of a naked female, dating from 35,000 years ago.

The figurine, unearthed in September 2008 in Hohle Fels Cave in southwestern Germany, may be the oldest known example of figurative art, meaning art that is supposed to represent and resemble a real person, animal or object. The discovery could help scientists understand the origins of art and the advent of symbolic thinking, including complicated language.

"If there's one conclusion you want to draw from this, it's that an obsession with sex goes back at least 35,000 years," University of Cambridge anthropologist Paul Mellars told LiveScience. He was not involved in the new finding. "But if humans hadn't been largely obsessed with sex they wouldn't have survived for the first 2 million years. None of this is at all surprising."

The fixation wasn't just for naked women, though. Early carvings of phalluses appeared in Europe at about the same time.

Read entire story here.

Time Kards

2009-05-12T13:13:00.000-07:00

Time Kard is a unique new concept in which you purchase a card which is the gift of time. This powerful new tool is designed to revolutionize your relationship with time. Basically, it goes like this...a few days after placing your order you will receive your kard in the mail. It is pre-activated and ready to use with the complimentary 15 minutes of time. It is yours to do whatever you want with but for the best results Time Kard suggests that you use it for the benefit of all living things-for example: being kind to someone or something anonymously, or without expecting anything in return. See how it works. If you liked it and want some more then return to timekard.com to add additional time to your kard. At that point, and from then on, however often you return, and however much you spend, adding time to your kard will be a 100% donation to 'random act projects'-an enterprise devoted to creating and implementing new, fun, beautiful, interesting and effective ways of expressing kindness. For more information or to purchase your own Time Kard click here.

Iranian Bahai Leaders May Face New Charges

2009-05-12T13:09:00.000-07:00

NEW YORK — The seven Baha'i leaders currently imprisoned in Iran are facing the anniversary of their arrest this Thursday, along with new and extremely grave accusations, after spending a year in jail without formal charges or access to their lawyer, Shirin Ebadi.

"Despite their obvious innocence and the call by many for their immediate release, these seven men and women have been in legal limbo for a year now, against all international human rights standards," said Bani Dugal, the principal representative of the Baha'i International Community to the United Nations.

Read Full Story Here

Animals Learning To Talk?

2009-05-09T10:46:00.000-07:00

Real Hobbits

2009-05-07T15:30:00.000-07:00

PARIS (AFP) – The tiny ancient humans dubbed hobbits, whose remains were discovered on an Indonesian island in 2003, were a previously unknown species altogether, according to two new studies.

Debate has raged in the scientific community since the fossils were found on the island of Flores, with some experts insisting they were descended from Homo erectus and others saying evolution could not account for their small brains.

About a metre (three feet) tall and weighing 30 kilos (65 pounds), the tiny, tool-making hunters may have roamed the remote island as recently as 8,000 years ago. Their fossils are about 18,000 years old.

Many scientists have said Homo floresiensis, as the creature is now formally known, was a prehistoric human stunted by natural selection over millennia through a process called insular dwarfing.

Others countered that even this evolutionary shrinking, well documented in island-bound animals, could not account for the chimpanzee-sized brain -- just a third the size of that in a modern human being.

The only plausible explanation, they insisted, was that the handful of specimens found had a genetic disorder resulting in an abnormally small skull or that they suffered from "dwarf cretinism" caused by deficient thyroids.

Two new studies in the British journal Nature go a long way toward settling the debate.

A team led by William Jungers of Stony Brook University in New York tackled the problem by analysing the hobbit's foot.

In some ways it is very human. The big toe is aligned with the others and the joints make it possible to extend the toes as the body's full weight falls on the foot -- attributes not found in great apes.

But in other respects it is startlingly primitive: far longer than its modern human equivalent and equipped with a very small big toe, long and curved lateral toes, and a weight-bearing structure closer to a chimpanzee's.

Recent archaeological evidence from Kenya shows that the modern foot evolved more than 1.5 million years ago, most likely in Homo erectus.

So unless the Flores hobbits became more primitive over time -- considered extremely unlikely -- they must have branched off the human line at an even earlier date.

For Jungers and colleagues, this suggests their ancestor was not Homo erectus "but instead some other more primitive hominin whose dispersal into southeast Asia is still undocumented."

Companion studies published by the Journal of Human Evolution bolster this theory and conjecture that these more ancient forebears may be the still poorly understood Homo habilis.

In any case, Homo floresiensis would be confirmed as a separate species.

Read Full Article Here

Reality Jam TV

2009-05-06T06:35:00.000-07:00

Realityjam.com now has its own TV channel - Reality Jam TV. The channel kicks off with the movie Zeitgeist The Movie and Freemasons - A National Geographic Documentary. Other quality programming is planned for the future. Eventually Reality Jam may even introduce original programming. Click here to check out Reality Jam TV.

An Artificial Intelligence Bot

2009-05-05T10:53:00.000-07:00

Try out this AI bot. It's name is Alice and she can carry on a conversation with you. I won't go into too much detail in this blog because it is more interesting to ask Alice yourself.

Galaia Botgreat free widgetsWidgetbox

Feed On Reality Jam

2009-05-04T09:10:00.000-07:00

This site now has a feed on realityjam.com. So now you can read these headlines on the home page of Reality Jam and click back to this site.

Now You Can Read My Twitter

2009-05-04T08:51:00.001-07:00

I've installed a twitter feed on this web site so you can read my twitter posts right here on the left hand column.

Ron Howard discusses "Angels & Demons"

2009-05-03T15:07:00.001-07:00

Diners report seeing Virgin Mary in food griddle

2009-04-30T20:02:00.000-07:00

CALEXICO, Calif. – The hottest thing on the griddle at the Las Palmas restaurant these days isn't the food — it's the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe that a cook says she saw on the griddle.

Restaurant manager Brenda Martinez says more than 100 people have flocked to the small town of Calexico on the California-Mexico border to gaze at the likeness of the Virgin Mary since it was discovered as the griddle was being cleaned.

Among the awe-struck was a group of masked Mexican wrestlers who arrived Thursday for an exhibition at a nearby swap meet.

One, known as Mr. Tempest, says: "This is amazing. It's a true miracle."

Since the discovery, the griddle has been taken out of service and placed in a shrine in a storage room.

___

Information from: Imperial Valley Press, http://www.ivpressonline.com

The Wonder of You

2009-04-29T17:35:00.001-07:00

I've seen this video many times and it always amazes me. This puts things in perspective.

My Older Book

2009-04-28T20:27:00.000-07:00

I recently discovered that my novel, The Possessor, is still available on Amazon.com, as well as several other web sites selling used books. I even found it on Target.com, although it said they were out of stock. A revised version of the book is in the works, so the current edition may only be available for a limited time.

I wrote this book 15 years ago, so I want to update it. It was also filled with typos and I'd like to clean that up. The theme of the book is remarkably similar to my present work. The main difference is that I'm now focusing on non-fiction. The current writing isn't meant to scare people either. At that time I was focusing on horror writing. One day I may write another scary novel, but currently I'm more interested in educating people as opposed to sending shivers down their spine.

Check out the book here if you are interested:

Herbal Pandemic Preparedness

2009-04-28T18:58:00.000-07:00

Whether the swine flu is a real concern, or an attempt by the
pharmaceutical companies to make more money on vaccines, this might be
helpful information.

Forward this or post where-ever you like

Herbal Pandemic Preparedness
Sources: Farmacy Herbs, Karlo Berger, American Red Cross.

Step One Prevention:
If the flu hits your area the best practice is prevention

Tea:
Sage, Skullcap, Oregano, Thyme, Elder Flower, Holy Basil, Nettle.
2-3 cups daily
Tincture:
Echinacea 2x daily; 2 dropperful (One week on, one week off)
Astragulus Tea (3 cups) or Tincture( 2 dropperful 3x daily)

Food;
Miso, raw garlic, veggie broths, Cayenne pepper, Turmeric, organic
veggies, meats and grains.
Stay away from processed foods, food coloring and sugar and alcohol
(sugars in the body feed bacteria and viruses) and coffee (coffee
dehydrates the body and depletes you of vitamins and minerals that will
help fight off pathogens).

Anti-Viral/ Anti-biotic Hand Wash:
10 drops grapefruit seed extract/ 10 drops tea tree essential oil extract
in 1 gallon water

Antiseptic Spray for surfaces:
Vodka, Water, Tea Tree Oil, Lavender Essential oil.
Disinfect door knobs
switches , handles, toys and other surfaces that are commonly touched.

Air Sanitizer:
Simmer water on low heat in a pot with 5 drops Eucalyptus Essential Oil or
5 drops Tea Tree Essential Oil or Lavender Essential Oil

If you do come down with the flu, then focus on immunity!

Continue tea:
Sage, Skullcap, Oregano, Thyme, Elder Flower, Holy Basil, Nettle.
(1 quart daily.)

add these tinctures 2 droperfull 3x daily
Meadowsweet, Japanese Knotweed, Turmeric
(keep up the echinacea and the astragulus)

Colloidal Silver: 2 squirts three times daily
Vitamin C 20000 mg daily
Grapefruit seed Extract: 1/4 teaspoon once daily.
Sleep Aids/ Pain Relief:
Valerian, Chammomile, White Willow Bark, Lemon Balm, St.
Johns Wort
Take 1-2 squirts of tincture as needed or 1-2 cups of tea as needed

Stay home and avoid sharing items with household members (pens, papers,
computers, remote control. sheets, towels eating utensils, food.
Wear a surgical mask when around others.
Clean sheets, bedding and clothes every day.

Take baths with 10 drops of lavender essential oil and 10 drops rosemary
essential oil and sea salt.

If your fever is high, use lukewarm water, if your fever is not high, hot
baths are okay.

(Remember fevers are our bodies way of heating up to kill pathogens.
Very high fevers are dangerous, but a low fever is actually good)

Drink veggie and chicken broths with miso and raw garlic (tons of it!) and
a pinch of Cayenne Pepper.

If you have an appetite eat only organic brown rice and greens/ steamed
veggies ( the simpler the better with food, if you put food that is hard
to digest in your body, your energy goes to digesting, rather than
fighting pathogens)

Air sanitizer: Water steam with Eucalyptus Essential Oil or Tea Tree
Essential Oil or Lavender Oil (do this in the room every 5 hours)

Caregivers should wear disposable gloves and wearing a mask when giving care.

farmacyherbs.com
28 Cemetery St, Providence, RI, 02904
401-270-5523
Sundays 10am-5pm
Mondays 10am-5pm

Chihuahua Lost In Storm Located By Pet Psychic

2009-04-28T16:29:00.000-07:00

A six pound Chihuahua named Tinker Bell was picked up by a 70 mph wind on Saturday and reported missing by her owners, Dorothy and Lavern Utley of Rochester, Michigan. The Utleys used a pet psychic to find Tinker Bell on Monday and told the Detroit News that the 8 month old pup was found alive and well.

New banner for toddopierce.com

2009-04-27T20:52:00.001-07:00

And Then There's Maude - Beatrice Arthur dies at 86

2009-04-27T09:47:00.000-07:00

Bea Arthur, star of "Maude" and "The Golden Girls", died at her home in Los Angeles on Saturday, April 25. She had cancer.

The Tony Award-winning actress played Maude in the 70's sitcom by that name. The character was Archie Bunker's liberal nemesis.

I've been working lately on a comparative study of Maude and the Goddess concept and how she embodied four archetypal feminine archetypes mentioned in the theme song: Joan of Arc, Lady Godiva, Isadora, and Betsy Ross. Right On Maude!

Unfortunately, Arthur will not be around to read it.

My new bookstore...

2009-04-26T15:19:00.000-07:00

Take a look at my new bookstore.

Check out Soul Pancake

2009-04-25T17:56:00.000-07:00

This is a site created by Rainn Wilson who plays Dwight Shrute on The Office.

Social Networking For The Rest Of Us

2009-04-25T12:46:00.000-07:00

Looking for an alternative to Facebook, Myspace and other popular social sites which seem to be flooded with superficiality? I have created a new site for people want to discuss and learn about the deeper things in life called realityjam.com

This is a place where no idea is too "out there" to be discussed. We are a community of open-minded individuals seeking spiritual and intellectual growth. What sets us apart from other sites is the belief that reality is what our thoughts create. What some would consider fiction, fantasy, over-active imagination, hallucination, or lunacy, we consider just another type of reality.

On Reality Jam we don't assume that any version of orthodoxy is necessarily the only truth. By creating new ways of seeing the universe and things in it, the worlds' paradigm changes and humanity evolves. Reality Jammers are those on the cutting edge of human evolution. Log on and create a profile now!

Buy My Book!

2009-04-23T15:31:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered what your thoughts look like? If so, you need to buy my book Thought Forms And You. This book consists of my re-edited version of the 1919 Theosophical text, Thought-forms, by Annie Besant and C.W. Leadbetter. I have also added my own ideas on Thought Forms, as well as sections on how to use them.

Most people don't realize that thoughts are things. They take on a life of their own. Your thoughts can both help you and hurt you. This is why it is important to understand these beings you are constantly creating. You are either the master of your thoughts or they are the master of you.

Click here to get your own copy of Thought Forms And You.

What is Reality Jamming?

2009-04-21T12:58:00.000-07:00

This was my first blog on the Reality Jam web site:

Every Reality Jammer will have a slightly different answer because Reality Jamming can be anything you want it to be. It is about defining your own reality and being open-minded enough to let others create the reality that suits them. The main theme in Reality Jamming is an understanding that absolutely anything is possible. The only constant is change. Our thoughts create the reality we live in. It is not reality which creates our thoughts. Therefore we encourage thinking outside the box and question everything from society to religion to science to history to psychology to lifestyles and anything else one can think of. Reality Jam is a safe space to meet others and share ideas that may be too "out there" in other venues. We actually encourage weird ideas because orthodox thinking won't give us new ideas. Look at this as a think tank for cultural creatives on the cutting edge of existence.

Like culture jammers we are putting out new memes which alter human perception. Hey, somebody has to come up with these new ideas, so why not us? Give us your theories, inventions, innovations and let's discuss. We put an emphasis on positive encouragement in our forums and comments. There are plenty of other forums for negative criticism out there. We're here to stretch the imagination, not limit it. Also feel free to use Reality Jam as a place to keep up with friends and make new ones. We don't take ourselves too seriously around here and if we can't have fun then why even bother? So go ahead and add your ideas, writings, art, videos and let's create a new reality.